Camshaft and TDC on flywheel WAY OFF

[TylerDurden]

If you have a compression tester that has interchangeable adapters for the injector ports (most do), the VW adapter can be used by putting the clear tube onto the adapter instead of the gauge. It might take some fiddling with other tubes to connect, but it is do-able.




Keep in mind that #4 is also at TDC with #1, so it is an easier job.

[86jetta1.6]

Thanks you two! You have both been a big help! I look forward to moving forward with this project this weekend!

[86jetta1.6]

Well, I made some progress tonight. I went out to the garage and locked the cam and the IP, then loosened the tensioner and popped the cam sprocket loose. Then I taped a piece of string to the timing belt above the cam sprocket and the crank, then I ran the string over the center of the cam sprocket bolt and over the center of the crank bolt. Once in place I turned the crank to align the two crank pulley bolts to be in line with the string.

Car started and runs out well, better than before. I just recently got this car but it would never idle without the cold start lever pulled out. It does now. I'm very happy. Thanks for the direction to solving this 82vdub

[82vdub]

I actually love the string idea. I've just eyeballed the bolts going up the cylinder and called it close enough. It's a pretty simple way of finding TDC.

If it's not running well, advance the IP - rotate it towards the head - and see if it runs better. Advance it until you hear marbles on a plate, then back off a bit. When you pull out the cold start cable, you should hear a slight difference in the diesel noise. Then it should be pretty good at that point.

[Fatmobile]

That's great you got it to run with that trick.
You are going to make a mark on the flywheel using the tube and liquid method, and time the cam crank with that right?

You didn't use the cam locker to break the cam bolt loose did you?
You can break the slot out that way.

[TylerDurden]

Running better is good! Clearly, you are in the ball-park and heading the right direction. I'm wondering how far off it was...

The bolts on the pulley are ~46mm apart so 1mm rotation ambiguity equals 2.5 degrees crank error (almost a flywheel tooth). The string looks to be about 2mm thick, so a half-string-width accuracy at the bolt head is still kinda close, not very precise... but good enough to get it running.

Precision pays dividends... it can make the difference between 40mpg and 50mpg.

[86jetta1.6]

Ok, UPDATE:

Car Starts relatively easily
Compression test results (cold after sitting a few weeks, I will do a warm one next) 285, 300, 310 310
Car Seems to rev up full RPM range without load, sounds actually great, responsive, sounds healthy without load

Get in it and drive and you seem to hit half throttle and thats it. It doesnt appear to be starving for fuel, it just seems like thats all its got. At WOT I feel like I only have pedal half way to floor. Again, it sounds healthy, I just feel like i need more pedal. The throttle WOT stop is open almost as much as possible.

I'm wondering....... If the injection pump I just put is for some sort of industrial engine that only operates at half throttle max. I googled the pump numbers and did find some reference to volkswagen industrial engine as closely matching.
This pump reads VE R 88, 0 460 494 085. I was given the IP free and was told it was on a running engine this summer. That is all I know, and it wasn't in a car, it came off of a marinized engine. My original IP is at the rebuilder now, should have it back soon.

Would the timing being slightly off cause this "half pedal" condition? I'm thinking not because it runs so good, just wont cross a certain RPM, I assume (and I dont know) that if the timing was off causing this condition it wouldnt sound so good, am i right? Or could it be off and run great only to the point of stopping? It reminds me of the rev limiter on my mud truck, a buddy put a 2500 rpm "pill" in my msd box once as a joke instead of my normal 7500rpm pill. ran great to 2500 then stopped dead.

I also tried the compression tester/tube TDC check a few minutes ago to see if I could check my previous timing work. I used 1/4 hose and it was not very effective. The fluid did not stay steady, as i turned the crank as slight as possible, the ATF jumped up tube but then quickly settled back down to the low point in the tube within a split second. I tried to move it repeatedly and watch for the instant it switched from pushing up to when it started sucking back but everytime I got a slightly different spot, so not very accurate. I see it was mentioned smaller tube size is more accurate, maybe thats what i need. I tried it with the other tube end open and once with it plugged with a drill bit thinking that might stabilize it a bit, but it didnt.

OK, I have another jetta that is my daily driver. Do I pull that IP off and try it on this car to see if its the IP causing RPM limiting or do I mess with timing more? Furthermore, when I put this IP on, I had to raise the idle screw almost to the point of maxing it out, which makes me think the IP isnt right, maybe it was off a smaller motor? I saw it, it sure looked like my 1.6. Any thoughts?

[colby]

Industrial IPs have different governors... your most likely culprit. I believe Marine application is the same, its considered industrial. I'm going to hazard a guess and say you've found your problem.

Colby

[86jetta1.6]

Ok, good to know, I bet thats it. I also changed the fuel filter just to make sure that wasnt the culprit. And there was no reving issue before I change the IP. Just the original running WOT uncontrollably. Just need to decide now whether to try my other IP off car or wait for the one to come back from rebuilder. Dont want to fire the new IP though if this motor is questionable. Although now it seems to run good, so hopefully it will be a runner.

[colby]

I personally would wait for the one to come back from the rebuilder. I'll bet, if that pump you have on it now came off a marine engine, that it is the culprit.

[Fatmobile]

Kinda hard one to check yourself but watch to see if the accelerator lever is going all the way to it's max stop when your foot is on the floor.
Car doesn't need to be running for that test.
Also check the max fuel screw to see if it can be turned in any.
If none of that works I'd try moving the accelerator lever one more spline.